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Aussie lifters impress at Oceanias

WEIGHTLIFTING: When
dual Olympian Deborah Acason lifted her way to silver on the final day of the
Oceania Weightlifting Championships it capped off an outstanding week for the
Australians, and the women in particular.

Team manager Dr
Robert Mitchell was full of praise for the squad.

“I was extremely
pleased with our women especially,” Dr Mitchell said on his return from New
Caledonia.

“Four of them had
perfect lifts, six out of six. That’s unheard of.”

The performance of
the Australian women earned them the Senior Women’s Team Trophy.

London Olympian Seen
Lee won gold in the 63kg class, Erika Yamasaki silver and Socheata Be bronze in
the 58kg class, Tegan Napper bronze in the 53kg class and Kylie Lindbeck bronze
in the 75kg class.

Dr Mitchell was
also full of praise for the team veteran, Acason, who gave her usual solid
performance to win silver in the +75kg division.

“She really is the
People’s Champion,” Dr Mitchell said of the 2004 and 2008 Olympian.

“You load the bar
up, and she goes out and lifts it. You would never bet against her, and she’s
still got a lot more in her.”

Many of the top
Australian male weightlifters didn’t go the Oceania Championships, but
Australia still came away with a gold to Francois Etoundi and silver to
Simplice Ribouem.

Also exciting the
Australian team in New Caledonia was the cohesion between the coaches.

“It was a really
professional and coordinated effort by all the coaches,” Dr Mitchell said.

“In many ways it
was a dress rehearsal for the Commonwealth Games, and it was absolutely
perfect.”

There were good
signs from the junior and youth teams, who Dr Mitchell says showed they can
match it with the best in Oceania.

And in some further
good news for the Australian Commonwealth Games team, the big two – Damon Kelly
and Chris Rae – are both back in full training, and Jenna Myers has proved her
fitness and will take her spot in Glasgow.